Anyone But You
by Gem
Summary: Working together for over 5 years, Serena and Darien have never gotten along, until a new man enters Serena's life, but who does she end up with? Based off
1. We Met

Anyone But You 

I ran through the halls late for the millionth time in my life. You think once I had gotten a fabulous job, booking talent on one of the most watched televised talk shows, I would show up on time, but that didn't seem to change my bad habit of waking up late.

 "Hey Serena!" 

"Hi!" I called back to one of my coworkers. I always made it a goal to say hi to everyone, because people just work better together when they all get along well. Everyone says I'm to "bubbly"…hey at least I get a long with everyone.

 I had to admit that I worked with a bunch of great people. Even the talk show host herself, Rei, was tolerable at some moments. At this very moment we were live with one of our recent guest that I had booked last week and I was rushing to see how things were going. Of course I would hear it from my womanizing coworker who always made me happy I was single because of scumbags like him. 

"How are things looking Darien?" I asked quietly as I snuck into the studio beside him. 

"Oh you know, Rei's really digging deep into the conversation making the guest really nervous."

 "Sounds like I picked another good one."

 "Only because I'm such a great producer." Darien said playfully. Yes Darien Shields was a smooth one. He could talk anyone into anything, except for me. I hated him the moment I laid eyes on him and to my benefit the feeling was mutual. Not to say we didn't get along. We were great in the work force, but that's where the relationship ended. It's bad enough I have to hear from all the female employees about how fabulous they think he is in bed. I certainly don't need to include him in any aspect of my life. 

As soon as the show ended I followed Darien through the studio listening to him recap on all the details they had gone over in this mornings staff meeting that I had missed. 

"Hey Andrea," he stopped as we walked by another employee. " You left these in my bathroom this morning." He handed her a pair of earrings and started walking again. 

"God Darien! You don't even care do you?" I yelled at him as I stopped at the coffee machine. Of course all he really did was shrug his shoulders. 

"Should I?" 

All of a sudden the most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my life walked up to us. 

"Hey Andrew," Darien said nonchalant while I just stood there like an idiot pretty much with my mouth hanging open to the point of drooling almost. 

"Hey Darien," he answered back, but then looked at me. "I believe you're the only one I haven't met. I'm Andrew Scott, new executive producer." 

"Oh!!! Hi I'm Serena Price," I said extending my hand, which he took to shake. Darien must have noticed my enthusiasm, because being the jerk that he is he had to make some rude remark.

 "Anyway I have work I have to finish, I'll see you around. Oh yeah and by the way Serena you want me to turn up the A/C for you? Your face looks a little flush." And with that he walked off while I resisted the great urge to flip him off. 

"Anyway I've heard a lot about you. Your piece on Janelle Smith was wonderful!" I continued to be sure to keep him interested. 

"Thank you. I heard you have her booked here next week with Rei?" 

"Yes I just got that straightened out with her agent who was a little annoying, but I'm really looking forward to it." 

"Me too. I got a lot of things planned."

 "Well I think you came to the right place Andrew."

 Then he smiled that amazing smile at me. "Me too"

 After work I found myself with my best friend Mina blabbing away about Andrew. He was such a nice guy and I was so interested that I couldn't stop talking about him.

 "Okay so what does he look like?" Mina asked while paying for a soda at the local café. 

"He's got beautiful blue eyes with blonde hair. He's the surfer type in a way. The kind of guy I would have fawned all over during high school."

 "You mean like you are now?" she said wiggling her eyebrows. 

"Oh shut up Mina. Anyway he has a girlfriend," I said slumping back in to the booth letting out a loud sigh. 

"Don't even try and go after him Serena. It's not even worth it."

 "Your right Mina I'm going to leave this one alone." If only I would listen to my friend's advice. 

The next day at work I was in the coffee room looking at the message board with a flyer that Darien had put up for a roommate. The reason I was starring at it was because Andrea had wrote "asshole" in big red letters across it. 

"What are you looking at?" Darien said coming into the room. I moved out of his way so he could read what I was starring at. 

"Oh that's real mature Andrea! Very grown up," he yelled down the hall. 

"Don't worry Darien I already knew you were an asshole," I reassured him smiling to myself. 

"Your opinion doesn't matter though," he smirked crumbling his flyer and tossing it in the garbage. 

"Hey why don't you move in with me?" 

I nearly choked on my coffee as I starred at him wide-eyed. "I don't think so Darien." 

"Why not? Your always complaining how your place is to noisy and you can't get along with your neighbors. It'll be a purely financial arrangement." 

"I don't think I could stand it," I said taking a nice long sip of coffee to sooth my nerves. 

"Oh come one Serena it's not like I'm interested in you to say the least." 

"God what a relief!" 

"So that's a no?"

 "No it's more like a 'thanks! But I'd rather chew off my own arm' thing" I smiled sweetly as I walked out of the room. 

Back in my office I was typing away at my computer once again when Andrew knocked on my door.

 "Hey!" he said bringing me out of my thoughts. "You feel like lunch?"

 "Of course!" I said excitedly and quickly grabbed my purse and headed out the door. 

Sitting in a nearby Chinese restaurant I was laughing and having a great time with Andrew. We talked about lots of things and I soon found myself finding a lot in common about us. 

"So tell me," I started. "How long have you been with your girlfriend?"

"You mean Anne?" 

"Yeah." 

"I think a little over three years." I had to take a breath real quick. 

"Oh wow!" I said a little too loud. 

"What?" he said while shoving a long piece of chow mien into his mouth. 

"Oh no, it's not anything bad it's just longer than I had thought." 

"Yeah well don't you think there's just a time in your life where you meet the right person," he said looking right into my eyes. "That you just know you've found?" 

Everything was silent for a moment as he kept starring at me. "Yeah I think so," I finally spat out averting my eyes. I laughed a little and just kept eating. Boy this could get confusing. I hope I know what I'm getting myself into.  
  
**Based off the movie "Someone Like You" with Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman. Also I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. Any questions or comments please feel free to email me at instyleb@hotmail.com


	2. Out in the Open

Anyone But You

 After that Andrew started asking me out all the time. We went on strolls in the park or hung out at my place, basically had a good time around each other. I found myself liking him more than I should have been letting myself, but who was I hurting?

 One afternoon Andrew and I were watching cartoons in my room eating gummy bears sitting close to each other laughing at the screen while the characters did hilarious stuff to eachother. 

"I can't remember the last time I watched cartoons," Andrew joked as he ate another gummy bear.

 "I do all the time! God I sound like I have no life," I started laughing again.

 Things got really silent between us for a moment, I always hated those awkward moments. 

"What are you thinking about?" he said, his attention completely on me. 

I starred at him for a moment. He really seemed to be starring deep into my eyes. I looked back down at my candy before answering. 

"I was just think about how good you look in my apartment," I smiled up at him. He smiled back at me for a moment then all of a sudden came in and kissed me, which led to a full out make out session. I can't even remember the last time that happened. 

"You mean you made out with him on your bed!" Mina yelled into her cell phone. 

"Nothing else happened Mina. God you overreact," I said coming off the elevator.

 "Well considering he's already picked out his future wife!"

"He said things aren't working out between them," I said coming into my office and setting down my things. "So what should I do now?" 

"That's easy. Pretend like she doesn't exist. If her name ever gets brought up just nod politely and change the subject. That way you look like you're free and don't care and getting sex elsewhere."

 "Well that's just great Mina, but what do I do when I see him at my staff meeting in five minutes!?" I stood straitening my skirt.

"That's easy pretend like he doesn't exist." 

"God where do you get this stuff?"

 "You can be amazed at what you can learn on the Internet."

I walked into the meeting room to see Andrew hadn't showed up yet, but Darien was sitting at one of the chairs. 

"Morning Darien," I said cheerfully.

"Hey," he said while opening a newspaper. As I took my seat I noticed the ugliest purple bruise on Darien's neck.

 "God what happened to your neck?"

 "I bit myself shaving," he answered in his jerk like way.

 "You're so disgusting." 

"And your so jealous," he smirked again.

 Just then Andrew walked through the door saying his good mornings to everyone. When he got to me I simply smiled and scooted over for him to sit down. He gave me a strange look but said nothing and sat down. A few minutes later Rei came running into the room mumbling something about the stupid taxi driver for making her late. She went over the usually things about how we need to get out there and get what everybody wants to see. 

A slight nudging caused me to avert my attention to Andrew sitting beside me who had written a note that said, "Dinner?" with a yes or no. Of course I circled yes and smiled as I sat back in my sit. Sometimes Mina was so right it was unbelievable.

 After dinner Andrew and I went back to my place and let's just say it's been a while since I've been with a guy. Being 25 and having been celibate for the last year, not by choice, has made me a little clumsy. Hey no one is perfect and I hadn't dated anyone for a while so he can just wait. I found myself running around my apartment like a chicken with my head cut off looking for a certain "something" grown ups use when they get intimate. Of course it took my just about twenty minutes and I nearly stumbled out of the bathroom laughing because of my actions. 

"Everything okay?" Andrew asked as I came to the couch and sat next to him.

"Oh yeah I'm great!" 

Everything was silent for a moment and we just sat there like a pair of high schoolers being alone for the first time. But soon all that was forgotten as he suddenly turned to me and pulled me up onto his lap in a heated make out session once again. 

We must have had a lot of tension built up inside of us because we were knocking stuff over, breaking lamps, and somehow I had managed to pull the bathroom curtain off with me. Don't even ask, but I must say it was one of the most trilling nights of my life. 

The next morning we were strolling down the street with his arm wrapped tight around me and us laughing like we had been together for years. 

"So what are we doing out here?" he asked as we stopped at a nearby T-shirt stand. 

"We need some fresh air remember?" I smiled up at him. He just smiled back and gave me a quick kiss. "I owe you a shirt anyway." I joked as I looked how he had tired to put his shirt back on this morning, but the missing buttons made it hard.

 As we laughed more and joked I hadn't noticed anyone come up behind us till I nearly bumped into them when I turned around. 

"Morning guys," Darien said as I took a quick step back. 

"Darien!" I said trying to sound friendly and cover up my red face. 

"Oh wow! Hey Darien," Andrew said looking just as surprised as I was. "That's funny! I ran into Serena here and now you? What a coincidence." 

"Yeah really!" I said trying to keep from laughing. Relationships in the office are frowned upon so Andrew and I decided to keep it a secret. Of course Darien just stood there starring at us like were idiots and listening to us babble on about running into each other. 

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting you guys or anything," he said starting to back away. 

"Oh no your not! I was just leaving anyway...I got this thing, you know," Andrew mumbled. "So yeah! I'll see you guys around." And with that Andrew took off down the street with his shirt. 

"That's so funny," I said still keeping up our story. "Running into Drew and now you." 

Darien of course was still eyeing me funning and looking at me like I was crazy so I finally stopped talking around in circles and blurted it out. 

"Okay and yeah I'm sleeping with Drew," I said waiting for his reaction, but only found him smirking as if he knew all along. 

"I swear Darien if you tell anyone." I huffed with my hands on my hips. 

"I didn't say anything," he said throwing his hands up.

 "I know what you're thinking," I said eyeing him strangely. 

"Yeah you're right. You probably won't be so cranky around the office now that you're getting some action in your life," he called out as he crossed the street. 

"Did you have any friends growing up?" I yelled after him. He stopped for a moment and turned around to point down the street. "You better hurry up I think he's waiting for you on the corner!"

 "Aghh!!!" I yelled as I stomped off down the street. 

Disclaimer: I don not own any rights to Sailor Moon or "Someone Like You". All names and story lines are not my own. Questions or comments instyleb@hotmail.com


	3. Out With the Old

Andrew and I started spending a lot of "quality" time together. Okay he started spending like every night at my house, but that wasn't a bad thing was it? No of course not. So three months later I found myself making my bed with Andrew on an early Saturday morning, nothing really special. I, of course wasn't even paying attention when Andrew had stopped making the bed and was starring at me. 

"I love you Serena," he said all of a sudden. 

I stopped for a moment feeling my heart pound in my chest. 'Did I just hear him right?' I thought to myself.

 "I love you too, Drew," I answered. I saw the biggest smile spread over his face after that and it was certainly the greatest feeling I've ever had. Things were looking good in my future. 

"He said the 'L' word!?' Mina cried at the table we were sitting at in our usual dining spot. 

"God Serena you are so lucky! Usually it takes guys like a year to say it and usually they're on top of you so it doesn't really count." 

I laughed listening to my friend. She certainly was my best friend for all the right reasons. 

"So you think he really means it?" she asked chewing on a French fry. 

"Yeah I think he would when he asked me to move in with him," I smiled like a ditz, but I didn't even care. 

"He asked you to move in with him!? That's great Sere, God I'm so jealous," she said while leaning over the table to hug me. 

"So what about this Anne girl?" 

"Well he's telling her tomorrow that they're through so I'll find out at work tomorrow." 

"What did you say when he asked you to move in with him?"

"Gee I think it might have been yes, because I called my landlord and gave her my thirty days notice. And besides we're leaving work early today to look at apartments."

 "Sere I have to tell you I seriously hate you," she smiled at me. 

"I know," was all I answered back.

 Andrew and I walked up the huge staircase to the apartment we were looking at. Of course the lady who was showing us the apartment was way ahead of us because we kept stealing kisses from each other on the way up. Once we got into the place we thought it certainly was beautiful, actually I loved it! It couldn't have been more perfect; nice and spacious with big windows. The best part had to be when we were out on the balcony where we could see the entire city stretched before us. We remained quiet for a moment and the sales lady left us a lone to think about it. 

"Oh my God Andrew I love it!" I said jumping up and down. 

"It's so perfect!" he cried at the same time.

 "So we'll defiantly get it?" I asked. 

"Defiantly," he smiled and gave me another yet sweet kiss.

 The next day at work I was blabbing away yet again on my cell phone with Mina about the great apartment we had found. 

"Has he told her yet?" she asked all of a sudden about Anne.

 "Yeah he told her last night. I'm waiting for him to come in and see what happened," right as those words came out of my mouth Andrew appeared in my window looking like he had just woken up and possibly hit by a bus on the way over. 

"Good Lord. hey Mina I'll call you back," I said quickly and hung up the phone as Andrew came in and shut the door. 

"Hey how did it go?" I asked trying to sound comforting. 

"It went...good," he said it in a somewhat hazy way. 

"And she reacted okay?" I said trying to get more information. 

"She seemed okay…it was more like an eerie silence." 

"And what did she say about us moving in together?"

 "Well...I didn't tell her about us." I got a confused look on my face for a moment.

 "What do you mean you didn't tell her?" 

He leaned forward in his seat quickly. "I just didn't think I needed to hit her with all this stuff right away, I mean after three years that's hard for someone to take."

 "Yeah I understand, but your happy right? This is what you wanted?" 

"Yeah this is what I want…I'm happy," he said none too convincingly. 

All I could do was try and smile my best. 

So how did Andrew slowly fade away from my life? Well, I didn't see it too much at first. Okay well I didn't want to see it. I was at home packing my things one day and I had been trying to get a hold of Drew all day and finally just left a message on his answering machine. 

"Hey honey it's me Serena. Look I just wanted to let you know that we have to get in and sign those papers by Monday and I know your lawyer wanted to look at the contract, but my apartment has been re-rented and I need to be out of here so *beep*" the machine cut me off. I looked at the phone for a moment and then threw it down it frustration. 

Later that week Drew had called me up to have dinner with him, but dinner didn't seemed to be going to well while we sat there and starred at each other so I decided to bring it up. 

"Listen Drew I need to know what's going on, I mean we lost out on that great apartment because your lawyer supposedly didn't get it together, which is fine! But still we haven't been alone in almost a week, we hardly talk, I mean what's going on?" I finished waiting impatiently for his answer. 

He sat there for a moment not saying anything. "I don't think I can do this anymore," he said flatly. 

"What do you mean?"

 "Us. I don't think I can do it Serena."

 "What! Why?" I said now close to tears.

 "I just think we need to take a step back and breathe for a moment."

 "But I don't understand! Things were going so great. What happened?" I said my face turning red.

 "I'm sorry Serena I can't give you the answer you're looking for, because I just don't know, but I still want us to be important to each other."

 "Don't! Don't even do that," I said tears coming down my face now.

 We remained silent for a moment until I took a deep breath to regain my composure. 

"Please leave." He sat there for a moment longer, but then realizing I was about to kill him he silently got up and left.

 I was so tired the next day from crying all night I nearly fell asleep at the coffee machine while I was filling my mug. I had really messed up this time thinking I had found something great when in fact, I had been living in a dream world. 

I hardly even felt the tapping on my shoulder. "Hey Serena," Andrew said. "You all right." 

"Why? Don't I look all right?" I said taking my cup out from under the machine.

 "Yeah....of course you do."

 "It's not like you don't have to worry about where you're going to be living." 

"Morning guys," Darien suddenly said as he came up to the coffee machine between Andrew and me. 

"Oh hey Darien." Andrew said quietly. Suddenly I was struck with a brilliant idea.

"Hey Darien," I said trying to sound more cheerful.

 "I was wondering if you ever found a roommate. See the place I was going to move into suddenly didn't work out," I said turning to face Andrew. 

"Uh...actually no I didn't," he said drinking out of his cup.

 "You're moving in with Darien?" Andrew suddenly got loud. 

"How big is the place?" I asked ignoring Andrew. 

"It's a two bedroom loft, kitchen, living room, lots of windows."

 "Perfect. When can I see it?"

 "You're moving in with Darien?" Andrew said again, but was ignored once again.

 "How about tonight?" he said putting cream in his coffee.

 "Great. I'll see you tonight then," I smiled and walked out of the coffee room. 

Darien stood there for a moment wondering why Andrew was starring at the wall.

 "You okay man?" Darien tapped him on the shoulder.

 "Huh? Oh...yeah."

 "Whatever you say," and Darien left him to his thoughts in the coffee room.


	4. In With The New

I waited while Darien juggled around with his keys trying to open the front door.  He was trying to balance two bags of groceries that I had asked if he needed help with, but he said he could handle it. Sure…

The door opened finally and the lights came on illuminating a huge living area that was wonderfully decorated.

"Wow Darien…" I said walking further into the room. A lovely tan leather couch and love seat made a semi circle around an expensive looking coffee table. Followed by an entertainment center like no other. A huge flat screen TV pressed against the glass with mpre accessories than I have ever seen in my entire life.

"Think you have enough electronics?" I said walking into the open kitchen connected to the living room area.

"That's my shrine that you're not allowed to touch or you suffer the consequences," he laughed as he started to put away the groceries.

"So where's my room?" I asked.

Suddenly he pointed across the living room where I had neglected to notice a little inset of doorways, but more importantly a gigantic hole in the wall that looked like a bulldozer had run right through it.

"Holy shit…what happened!" I said walking over and through the humongous hole. The room was quite spacious and had a great walk-in closet.

"My ex needed to relieve a little stress before she moved out I guess," he said while walking over through the "hole".

"You actually lived with someone…nonetheless a girlfriend?" I said very surprised.

"Yeah," was all he answered shrugging his shoulders.

 "Hmm…well it's very nice, but are you going to have this fixed before I move in?" I said eyeing him suspiciously, not liking the fact that he was withholding information from me.

"Of course I will," he said giving me that sly smile of his. Of course I just rolled my eyes.

So as I was moving in a week later Darien's brilliant idea of fixing the wall was hanging a gigantic sheet over the hole because the repairmen were obviously "booked up". Yeah whatever lazy ass is all I said to him.

The next few days I was pretty occupied getting my room all decorated so it kept my mind off Andrew and why he had decided to end it. I painted my walls a lovely mauve color and treated myself to new furniture and bed furnishings. Decorating has always been a great pleasure of mine and I always indulge when I can. 

Soon enough though all my emotions caught up with me, and one night I was lying awake crying. The tears seem to just start flowing and I hate being such a big baby so I tried to muffle my cries with my pillow. Not good enough apparently because soon Darien's arm came through the "wall" setting a drink down on the ground.

"Morphine for the pain," he said and then I could see his shadow walk away.

I got up and grabbed the drink and made my way out through the curtain to sit on the couch next to Darien who was smoking. He offered me one, but I declined.  We sat there for a moment longer and then I decided to have a drag and grabbed the cigarette out of his hand. It's been years since I've smoked and I started coughing the instant I inhaled. Of course Darien could only laugh at how ridiculous I looked.

"It's not funny," I said taking another swig of my drink. Jesus at this rate I was looking worse and worse.

"Yeah it is. You know it's not good to be depressed. It makes you get wrinkles," Darien spoke while reclining further into the couch sprawling about.

"Well I don't know about that, but smoking sure does so put that crap out," I said getting up and walking out onto the balcony putting the cigarette out. Soon Darien followed behind me and I leaned against the rail and I drowned the rest of my drink.  

"Come on woman," Darien said grabbing my arm and pulling me back inside.

"Let go of me!" I said acting very childish.

"No I'm taking you down the street. You need a stronger drink," he laughed as he pulled me out the door and down to the street below.

An hour later I found myself on my fourth beer telling the story to Darien how Andrew had just left me in a noisy bar packed almost wall-to-wall. Quite surprisingly he listened the entire time giving his great "man" advice, but still it was nice that he listened.  I just couldn't understand why Andrew had left when I thought he was such a great guy.

"Why do you put him up on such a freakin' pedestal? I mean come on Serena, you thought you knew everything about a guy in 4 months?" he said taking another swig of his beer.

"I just thought I had met someone genuine," I said burying my head into my arms on the bar.

"See that's your problem. When you met someone don't believe all the crap they dish out in the beginning. It takes a while to really get to know someone and to make all the big decisions you made so fast."

"How the hell do you know all this? You're never with a girl more than a week," I said while watching his eyes drift over my head eyeing something.

" Because I'm a genius," he said now staring intently at something behind me.

I whipped my head around to see what he was starring at and it was actually a who he was starring at. A beautiful woman with vibrant blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes and a shirt that left little to the imagination.

"Ugh! Darien are you going to pay attention to me or are you done for the evening?" I said complaining loudly in his face while he was trying to still look at the woman.

"Hey she could be your twin almost," he said laughing as I stuck my tounge out at him. "Okay see with this girl right here she's looking at me sending the signal that she wants me to go over there. So I'll go over there talk to her and if she wants to make it more than it really is that's her problem.  I lay out what I want and if they try to make it more then they're setting themselves up for the downfall. Never trust a guy when you met him…give it time to know what he's all about."

"You are such a pig," I said. With that he laughed and got up leaving left my ass at the bar, to go talk to the model in the corner.  


End file.
